DESPERATE UNIVERSITIES ACCEPT A-LEVEL FAILURES

by Judith O'Reilly and Dipesh Gadher

In a desperate bid to fill degree courses, universities are offering places to students who have failed all their A-levels.

A Sunday Times investigation found that some universi­ties were willing to ignore their own minimum requirements and take school-leavers with little more than half a dozen GCSEs. "

"As part of the investigation, reporters posing as failed A-level students approached universities through the "clear­ing" system, which most use to find vacancies.

At the University of Lincoln­shire and Humberside, a reporter who said he had failed A-levels in physics, mathemat­ics and geography was given an unconditional offer over the telephone for a place on an engi­neering foundation course with a view to progressing to a degree

The course leader referred to the offer as "an extended, degree course". He said: "Let's face it, what it is a second chance for those young people who haven't been awfully suc­cessful at A-levels or have studied the wrong A-levels."

Another reporter asked if she would be considered for a place on an extended degree course in construction at Luton University, despite failing A-levels in geography, mathematics and IT. "I wouldn't see a problem with that," said an admissions officer. "It is not a course for mature students... It is for young people who have done their A-levels, but haven't done very well."

At the University of North London, a reporter was offered a place on a higher national diploma (HND) course in elec­tronics and communication engineering with a view to transferring onto a degree course after six months. He was told this was a better option than joining a foundation course, because that would entail completing an entire year before moving on.

"The HND, we could defi­nitely offer you a place on that," said a lecturer. "With a little bit of concentration from your side on electronics sub­jects, you should be able to make it and transfer [to the degree course] in February."

Even popular courses are prepared to take failed A-level .students. At the University of the West of England, a reporter was offered a place on a founda­tion course leading to a degree if she attended an interview and supplied school reference.

The universities defended their admission policies. The University of Lincolnshire and Humberside said it was "fairly rare" for a school-leaver with no A-levels to be granted a place on a foundation course, but was unable to comment on this particular case.

Rob Cuthbert, pro vice-chancellor of the University of theWest of England, admitted a minimum of two A-level points would normally be required for access to a founda­tion course. Steve Kendall, director of educational liaison and student recruitment at Luton University said: "It is a practice that we would defend if we had thought it was right in the case of the individual with whom we were dealing."

The University of North Lon­don described the incident as "an oversight", adding that it required school-leavers to have A-level passes to get onto either degree or HND courses.

Institutions appear to be using foundation courses as a back door to degree courses. The foundation year is primarily designed for mature stu­dents without A-levels or for students who have studied inap­propriate A-levels. Universities are struggling to fill science and engineering courses after being forced by the government to make more places available.

They receive extra government funds if they fill places, for which there are no statutory-minimum requirements.

Ministers plan to create 100,000 additional higher edu­cation places by 2002, with an extra 9,300 full-time degree places this year alone. However, applicants for full-timecourses have dropped by nearly 2,000 this year.

"Universities are accepting what, in my view, are underqualified entrants," said Profes­sor Alan Smithers, director of the Centre for Education and Employment Research at Liverpool University.

"What makes higher education 'higher' is the fact that it builds on something," he added. "Without that, it seems to me that universities are creat­ing difficulties for themselves and also calling into question the standard of the degrees that are awarded."

From The Sunday Times

8.b Explain the following concepts.

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